Surgical instrument



March 19, 1946. R. A. MULL SURGICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Maren 5, 1942 NIH!! fil Patented Mar. 19, 1946 anton yUNITED lSTATES PATENT QFFIgCE 2,397,036 SURGICAL INSTRUMENT l Raymond Arthur Mull, Benton Harbor, Mich.

Application March 3, 1942, Serial No. 433,111

1 Claim. Cl. l28-1.4)

forceps or other surgical instruments to get hold of the fragments so that the same may be withdrawn.

It has been found that an electromagnetic instrument of the type hereinafter described enables quick removal of ferromagnetic fragments by making a relatively small incision with a sterilized instrument. It has further beenfound in practice that the use of such an instrument frequently eliminates the need for a patient to be removed to the operating room of a hospital and permits removal of the fragment in the eld or in i a doctors office.

As the term ferromagnetic shall hereinafter be employed, it refers to that small class of metals including iron, nickel and cobalt in which the magnetic permeability is vastly greater than for other substances.

lt is an object of the present invention to provide an improved surgical instrument for extracting ferromagnetic objects or fragments from a living body.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel electromagnetic surgical instrument in which all parts to be handled by the surgeon may be sterilized and which will remain free from contact with all other portions of the instrument not sterilized.

Another object of the present invention is to L provide an electromagnetic instrument including an electric solenoid and a removableprobe.

Another and further object of the present invention is to provide an electromagnetic surgical instrument including an electromagnet having a removable ferromagnetic core with a probe portion projecting from one end of the magnet and a handle projecting from the other end of 'che magnet, both the probe portion and the handle portion being of substantially less diameter than the internal diameter of the magnet.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claim. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and manner of construction, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: A n

Hgure l is a vertical sectional View of an electromagnetic surgical instrument with parts in elevation;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view with parts in elevation of the surgical instrument shown in Figure 1, with the core member about to be inserted in the electromagnet;

Figure 3 is a schematic View of the surgical instrument, connected through a foot switch to a battery; and

Figure 4 is a modified form of probe for the surgical instrument.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawing, there is shown therein a solenoid or an electromagnet I0 having a removable ferromagnetic core II. The electromagnet lll is provided with a large number of turns of wire and is arranged to be electrically connected to a battery I2 (Figure 3) through a cable I3 and a foot switch I4. The cable I3 includes two conductors I5 and I6 which are connected respectively to battery I2 and stationary contact I'lof foot switch I4. The foot switch lil is provided with a second stationary contact I8 which is electrically connected through conductor I9 to the opposite side of battery l2k l from conductor l5. Foot switch Iliincludes a movable contact 20 which is carried on a button 2| and biased to a normally open position by a spring 22. When the button 2i is depressed by the foot or in any other manner, the movable contact 2t engages both of the stationary contacts I1 and I8, thereby energizing the electromagnet In.

The electromagnet I0 is preferably covered by a rubber jacket 23 which enables frequent sponging off of the electromagnet exterior with alcohol or other antiseptic solution.

The removable core H is formed of ferromagnetic material and preferably of material such as soft steel (i. e., a steel having a low carbon content). The core Il includes a central portion 24 which is of such a diameter as to snuglyV but freely slip within the electromagnet lil, a handle portion 25 of reduced diameter and a probe portion 26, at the opposite end, of reduced diameter. In the form shown in Figures l to 3, the probe portion 26 has a blunt nose 2l. This probe portion 2t is arranged to be inserted within a wound or Within an incision made in living tissue Where the ferromagnetic fragment to be removed is lodged. The handle 25 is preferably knurled as is indicated in the drawing. The central portion 24 of the core H immediately adjacent the probe portion 26 is provided with a pin 28 Which extends therethrough and which is arranged to engage the end 29 of the jacket 23 covering the electromagnet HJ.

WhenV the electromagnetic snrgicalinstrument hereinbefore described is to bel used. to removea ferromagnetic fragment, the member H is sterilized in the same manner as other surgical instruments are usually sterilized. The electromagnet lil is washed offn with alcohol orxsomeoth'er antiseptic solution. When the surgeon or doctor. is ready to Work on the patient, the surgeon is handed the core member l I ina` sterilized; condition. An attendant holds the electromagnet l in the position as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing while the surgeon carefully drops-l the core member H through thecentral opening inu the electromagnet I0. Indoing so.- he is carefulthat the handle 25 doesnotv touch the inner wall of the-opening throughl the electromagnet. I. In this connection it will be noted.- that care isneces sary only duringk the initial insertionvof the'handle portion 25 since thecentralportionu of the core member Il as soon as it enters the opening inthe electromagnet lll-will v center the. member H and prevent the handle portion 25 fromvthereafter touching the inner Wall of the. electromagnet. Movement of1 the member.l Il through the centraliopening in the electronfiagnetV I zis stopped when.v the piny 28 strikesthe endportion 29. The surgeon thereupon grasps the handle portion 25 and turns the instrument rightside up asisshown in Figures 1 and 3. The pin 2dI prevents the electromagnet llifromsliding ol themember Il.

Since neitherV the. handle portion 25 nor the probe.` portion.. 25 has come. into contactl with any' portion ofthe electromagnet t0.it,will be observed that theprobe portion.zwhichlenters. theiwound orV incision; is stillin: a sterilized condition. and furthermore the. only. portionv of` the. instrument which is handled by the surgeon, namely the handle.portion.25, also isstillin asterilizedcondition. rlIhe probe Yportion 2&is.now inserted inthewound or, incision to a position of: approximate contact with the fragment. The foot switch is thereupon closed by depressing the button 2| which causes the electromagnet l0 to be energized and the strong magnetic eld produced thereby will engage any ferromagnetic fragments lodged therein and the same may be thereafter readily and quickly removed.

In Figure 4 of the drawing a modified form of probe portion is shown for member l l. More particularly, a tapered probe.portion 30 is provided. Such a probe portionV is more advantageous for certain type of wounds or incisions than is the blunt nosed probe portion 26 shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawing.

While Ihave shown particular embodiments of my invention, it will, of course, be understood that I' do not Wish to be limited thereto, since many modicationsmay be made, and I, therefore, contemplateby the appended claim to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope'. of; my invention.

I claimpasmy invention:

In` combination, in asurgical instrument for removing ferro-magnetic fragn'lents` from living tissue, a probe element of ferro-magnetic material comprising a cylindrical body portion having ana elongated reduced-diameter probe tip at one end and an` elongated reduced-diameter handle at the'other end, a small substantially cylindrical electro-magnet unit of a length no greater than said body portion and having a longitudinal cylindrical: opening of a diameter to receive said body portionslidably; and stop means on said probe element extending laterally therefrom between. said body portion and said probe tip engageable with the adjacent end of the electromagnet unit for supporting the latter while the assembly is carried by said handle, the reduced diameter handle permitting the probe element in sterilized condition tobeassembled with the electromagnet unit by dropping' it handle rst into the opening therefor While` maintaining the handle uncontaminated and entirely out of Contact with the electro-magnet. unit, said handle including. anti-slip means thereon for assuring positive handling of the assembly Without any need for touching thesolenoid duringy an operation.v

RAYMOND ARTHUR MULL. 

